Stratford depot

[BernardTPM]

Aha.. here's a better shot, I wonder how many forumites are in this picture ?? 9th July 1983.

 

I was certainly at that Open Day - photographed BAB, XVA, VGA, a Dodge Hi-line (BR livery) and the bogie of 56023. All on slides - must get/borrow a scanner...

[trisonic]

9th July 1983? Nah, just got divorced and was in Uruguay............

 

Best, Pete.

[porkie]

wow, thanks peeps.

I didnt even know it was once a works too.

Ive seen the sparrow on few loco's and the silver roofs

 

Thanks for all your replies

[PrestburyJack]

....... and was also impossible to get in unless you knew the right people.

 

In the 1980's my school had a "Transport Society" which managed to get permits to visit most BR depots including Stratford. And even when we didn't have a permit, the presence of 2 school teachers escorting 15 boys, with a permit for somewhere else nearby, meant access was almost guaranteed.

[brushman47544]

At some point in the 80s (and probably before) it was possible to visit SF (depot and works) on a Sunday morning. You turned up at the Foreman's office at, I think, 10.00, wrote down your name and them off we all went. Great fun.

[96701]

Memories of Stratford? Helping to fix the breakdown crane there. It's number? ADRC 96701. Guess what is in my avatar?

[Trainshed Terry]

Great topic this! Back in November 1983 myself and another secondman from Old Oak spent two days at Stratford doing boiler training, the first day was spent in the classroom (a prefab near the depot as I recall) with the second day spent inside the works where there were three stationary boilers, a Clayton, a Spanner and a Stone Vapor. The place was heaving with withdrawn Peaks at the time, they were scattered around everywhere, during the lunch break we had a wander round, I'd never seen so many locos all in one place.

 

R.I.P. 30A !

 

Nidge

 

I agree with you Nidge but I was up that way early this year as I got a train to St Albanys expo, and from what I could see the hole of the depot site is going to be under a shopping center, and that also includes Stratford Freightliner terminal.

 

But saying that I have just Googled map Stratford, and Thornton fields Carriage sidings seem to be in place. :blink:

 

Terry.

[DaveF]

There are a few photos of the July 79 OpenDay at Stratford on my fotopic site at:

 

http://davidford663.fotopic.net/c1694002.html

 

David

[trisonic]

Thanks for the great photos, David.

 

Best, Pete.

[PhilJ W]

There are a few photos of the July 79 OpenDay at Stratford on my fotopic site at:

 

http://davidford663....t/c1694002.html

 

David

I had to look twice at the class 15 train heating unit until I realised that the green had faded. Did it ever leave the confines of the shed?

[DaveF]

I had to look twice at the class 15 train heating unit until I realised that the green had faded. Did it ever leave the confines of the shed?

 

I'll pass on that one - even though I then lived in Essex Stratford was not on my regular list of places to go!

 

David

[jamie92208]

Yes I've got happy memories of Stratford. Once on a permit with a group from Woodlesford in about 1977. I was offered a complete BR Lion and Wheel transfer for £5 but didn't have enough cash on me to my eternal shame. Another time my mate and I who were both Policed officers in West Yorks got to know a BTP officer who was on a course in Wakefield. She got us names and contacts for various sheds including Stratford, Selhurst and Willesden and we tooksour then, teenage kids with us and had 2 great days out. I was always amazed at the sheer size of the complex.

 

On another topic there have been references to ex Clapham museum locos going there then on to Hellifield. IIRC Hellifield (Which I was able to get round as I lived near there) was used in the late 60's but the shed was demolished not long after steam finished. There were about 14 locos there. The ex Clapham ones were moved by road from Clapham to somewhere in London then towed up to York almost immediately in several convoys when York was being fitted out. They even towed the sectioned Ellerman Lines up from where the sectioning was done. There were several photos of these moves in the magazines at the time.

 

Jamie

[Ron Ron Ron]

But saying that I have just Googled map Stratford, and Thornton fields Carriage sidings seem to be in place. :blink:

 

Terry, Google Maps is years out of date for Stratford.

Try Bing instead. Even that's long out of date now, but clearly several years more recent than Google.

 

Now, compare the Bing Maps photos with these from earlier this year......

 

 

 

Stratford International Station is hidden amongst the buildings in the top right of the picture, just above the curved roof building (the Aquatics centre).

The Olympic village is the cluster of high-rise buildings just above that.

 

 

Next, another view of Stratford Depot as it is now, this time looking north to south (there are several more arenas being built to the right of this view).

Two railway lines emerge from tunnels at the bottom of the photo. The one on the left is the link from Stratford International (in the centre of the picture) to Eurostar's Temple Mills depot.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another view taken at an earlier date (over a year ago-mid 2009).

 

 

 

I found this little video on the Guardian website..... Birdseye view of the Olympic Park

 

I suspect there won't be any evidence left to suggest the works and depots ever existed.

 

.

[Gwiwer]

Visited Stratford station last week for the first time in many years. It's ............ changed. Nothing remains of the depot and works. The main station has been somewhat altered with the northern platforms playing a far greater role than they once did. Trains from the NLL now arrive through the middle of the Olympic works site on a realigned route from Channelsea Junction. And there was this curious thing called "Betty" whining away on a Freightliner working .......... B)

[Pinkmouse]

They've built the village on top of the old NELP student housing! I really hope the psychogeography of the site come to the fore, and the athletes just hang around all day watching Neighbours and smoking illicit substances!

[porkie]

Ive just been on youtube and watched some great video's of the depot,

 

Its a shame that its now in the history books like most of these major Depots once owned by EWS R.I.P Stratford TMD

[trisonic]

Is the old Bryant & May building still standing (just off the west end of the site)? I'd heard it had been turned into "luxury apartments" - which made me grin!

 

Anyone else remember the notorious Ronan Point? The builder stored the prefabricated sections next to the ex.GER Station - Ronan Point it self was just to the south of the complex (if I remember correctly, I may be wrong).

 

 

Best, Pete.

[Ian J.]

Is the old Bryant & May building still standing (just off the west end of the site)? I'd heard it had been turned into "luxury apartments" - which made me grin!

 

Anyone else remember the notorious Ronan Point? The builder stored the prefabricated sections next to the ex.GER Station - Ronan Point it self was just to the south of the complex (if I remember correctly, I may be wrong).

 

 

Best, Pete.

If you mean the factory site near Bow, then yes, it's still there and yes it has been converted into a 'gated community' :

 

Google Map

 

Wikipedia Entry

[trisonic]

Red Phosphorus in every nook and cranny..........................

I'm glad the building is still standing, used to stare at it whilst waiting for the train to get into Liverpool Street, often enough.

 

Best, Pete.

[Gwiwer]

Ronan Point it self was just to the south of the complex

 

Ronan Point was some way to the south of Stratford. it was closer to Custom House on the North Woolwich line. Many of those towers have since been levelled and replaced with low-rise housing including the even more notorious James Sinclair Point which was the really huge one next to Upton Park station. Many residents of that now live next to Woodgrange Park station in a development called Bluebell Avenue! Their view has changed from CP and R stock with 302's running alongside to brand new 172's and endless 66's. B)

[trisonic]

Ronan Point was some way to the south of Stratford. it was closer to Custom House on the North Woolwich line. Many of those towers have since been levelled and replaced with low-rise housing including the even more notorious James Sinclair Point which was the really huge one next to Upton Park station. Many residents of that now live next to Woodgrange Park station in a development called Bluebell Avenue! Their view has changed from CP and R stock with 302's running alongside to brand new 172's and endless 66's. B)

 

Thanks for putting me straight on the location of Ronan Point - I remember that morning pretty well but not well enough!

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

[Gwiwer]

The two towers nearest to Stratford works / depot were Stratford Point and Newtown Point which overlooked the eastern side of the complex. Those were both demolished around 1982. That left only the two new 12-storey brick-faced towers in the Clays Lane development overlooking the depot complex directly which remain there to this day.

[Simon G]

I was browsing a whole load of old videos/DVDs the other day in our Club Rooms and what did I come across but a video all about Stratford depot and its history. It is rather sad as the recording was made about 1990 and goes on about the future of the depot, only for it to be shut down in 1991. That said it is very interesting. It was made by Railfilms Ltd and is called Depot, Volume 2, Stratford. A good thing to watch if you want to go back down memory lane!

[SXHALL]

Cracking thread about Stratford, have only just stumbled across it.

Has anyone got any pics of the warehouse part of Stratford? It was the L.I.F.T (London International Freight Terminal) part of the complex. Had to drive along the road between the depot sheds and the Freightliner to get in to it. All of the warehouses were rail served but never saw any movement in or out other than on trucks, probably moved the wagons at night when it was quieter? Wondering what stock and shunter/s were used in the complex.

 

Thanks

 

Sxhall

[caradoc]

Yes, as already stated Stratford WAS huge, the sheds, sorry - depot, the allocation topped 300 in steam days, and works ( both Old, and New) was extensive, you could lose Toton in one corner. In the 1950's I used to spend some Sundays being taken round by my uncles, Fred Day, and Bob Hornsby, who were both drivers there.

 

You lucky blighter ! On my first visit to the Stratford area, in September 1972, I spent hours walking round trying to get a view of the depot and/or Temple Mills Yard, but only ever saw locos in the far distance ! It's almost unbelievable that such a large and important railway complex could disappear without trace.